1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of optical communications and photonics. More particularly, it relates to fast all-optical switching devices.
2. Description of Related Art
A low-loss nanoscale all-optical switch could revolutionize photonics through its compatibility with proposed nanophotonic structures, speed, and efficacy at low light levels. Although such a device is needed, its creation has previously been prevented by the poor trade-off between confinement of light, losses, and the incompatibility of low light levels with strong Kerr nonlinearity. Some of these challenges may be ameliorated by ongoing research; giant cross-phase modulation (XPM) could be enabled by double electromagnetically induced transparency and surface plasmons could allow subwavelength optics, albeit with large losses that may be lessened by clever strategies.
The referenced shortcomings are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many that tend to impair the effectiveness of previously known techniques in photonics; however, those mentioned here are sufficient to demonstrate that the methodologies appearing in the art have not been satisfactory and that a significant need exists for the techniques described and claimed in this disclosure.